The inspiration for Acne Studios’ Spring/Summer 2025 collection was born at an exhibition that creative director Jonny Johansson attended last year, which featured the work of Philadelphia artist Jonathan Lyndon Chase. Backstage at the show, the designer described to the press how Chase’s work spurred him to shift his approach.
“It made me think that I’d been going too mad for fashion,” he said. “I wanted to do something different and maybe take more of a risk.”
Naturally, Johansson tapped Chase to create a custom set design for the show, which resulted in a stark white room peppered with an array of lived-in furnishings and colourful sculptures. In a statement, the artist explained that “comfortability and vulnerability,” as well as “living unapologetically” in one’s space, were key considerations while crafting the installation. And that’s also precisely what this latest collection seemed to be built on.
Known for his subversive take on ready-to-wear, which effortlessly blends fashion and functionality, Johansson has always grounded his creative vision in wearability. But for Spring/Summer 2025, the Swedish native decided to have a little more fun, which was clear from the moment the first model stepped onto the runway in a perplexing knit set that, at once, looked like it was being pulled on and taken off.
Further along, bows and hotpants continued their runway reign, paired with distressed sweaters, thick tailoring and leather outerwear for balance. Johansson seemed to experiment the most with head-turning proportions and crafty fabrications. Padded suiting, exaggerated hips, and shrunken knits skewed the eye, as did macro crochet, waxed prints, crushed leather, and mock croc for a textural feast. For some looks, pieces were layered to mimic the effect of being worn the wrong way, evoking the liberating feeling of throwing on your comfy clothes once you get home.
This story first appeared on GRAZIA International.
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